In My Life
by Zuzzeroo
Summary: And that is when he came to the startling realization that he was now her beau. It didn't help that all the pictures with him made a heart shape if you really looked. One-shots! Dasey!
1. Jewellery

_Okay, so I think I've gotten bit by some bug. A writing bug. I feel like writing ALL THE TIME, which is totally not a bad thing. Most of these ideas are just silly little one-shot ones, so I decided that instead of posting thousands of them, I'd make a story that is just one-shots. These aren't really going to flow or match or anything. Just think of it as holding a massive scrapbook album open on your lap, fliping to a random page and pointing at any picture. Some will be from episodes, some will be University ones and some will be just made up._

_I hope you all like this and enjoy reading these as much as I enjoyed writing them. Send me your reviews and input!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but these stories, which are just documents on Word. Sigh. :(_

* * *

"Ooh, this one is shiny." Casey's four year old daughter Lucia said, as she leaned forward to look closer at the pair of earrings in her Mother's hand.

Casey smiled, fingering the jewellery with a whimsical expression on her face. "Grandma Nora gave these to me after my very first dance recital."

"How old were you?" Lucia questioned thoughtfully.

Casey lightly placed the earrings back into the little gold box. "Around the same age as you are now."

Lucia reached up and touched her bare earlobes. Casey had promised her, that once she turned five, which was in a couple of weeks, she could get hers pierced as well.

"Could I have these?" Lucia asked, looking at the glittering gold ballet shoes. Casey smiled down at the bright blue eyed, curly auburn haired girl. "I suppose you could."

Lucia's head shot up and she gave her Mom a big toothy grin. "Thanks Mommy."

The little girl was currently perched on her parent's bed, surround by boxes and bags filled with her Casey's old jewellery. Casey had gotten her a jewellery box for her fifth birthday and even though it hadn't gotten here yet, they decided to get some jewellery ready for it.

"What about this?" Casey asked her girl, opening a long blue box. There was a shiny, silver bracelet inside, with an intense design of "X's and O's" intertwined together with diamonds placed in between. It was very delicate and eloquent and Lucia could not figure out who would have given that to her Mom. Certainly not her Dad, who always hated getting anything for Casey that was cliché and this, was most defiantly cliché.

"Mommy, who got you this?"

Casey gave a little laugh and slipped the bracelet out of the box. She motioned for Lucia to hold out her arm and lightly fashioned it on to her wrist. It was large on her and the silver felt cool on her skin, but the diamonds caught the afternoon sunlight shining through the bedroom window, creating little rainbows.

"Your Dad got it for me, actually. A long, long time ago."

"Daddy bought you this? Really? But he hates this stuff."

Casey nodded, laughing. "Yes, that's why it's funny."

"_Merry Christmas!" The bouncy seven year old shouted through the house, promptly waking everyone up on this side of the street._

_Christmas mornings with the new McDonald/Venturi blended family were always interesting and a tad depressing. Casey always remembered her own Father and her own family traditions a lot more around these big holidays and even though there was nothing wrong with how they celebrated it now, she did still crave for the real deal._

"_Morning, Case." Nora said, handing her a mug of hot chocolate before joining her on the couch. Her red and white snowflake robe was wrapped tightly around her body and Casey smiled at it. Her Mom always had worn it on Christmas mornings, for as long as she could remember._

_Lizzie stumbled down the stairs next, in an old soccer camp shirt and dark blue flannel pyjama pants that looked a lot like the ones Casey had "lost" during the move to London a few months back. _

_This was a sight that she was use to. The McDonald girls sitting around the tree, sipping hot chocolate and watching the flickering lights on the tree as they waited for Dennis to get out of the shower. Now, they were waiting for the Venturi boys._

_By the time they were all downstairs, and Marti had calmed down enough to just be just slightly jumpy in front of the tree instead of dashing around the house so everyone was ready to open presents._

_Casey watched with slight amusement as her little step-sister ripped the paper off her gifts, barely glancing at them before she was on to the next one. _

_Her own gifts were pretty simple. Gift cards, a pair of gloves with cats on them from Marti and a pair of hoop earrings from Lizzie and Edwin. She was just about to head upstairs to sort through everything and give Emily a quick "Wishing you a Merry Christmas" phone call when George tossed a small, poorly wrapped little, rectangular box into her lap._

_She looked at him confused, and he just shrugged, grinning and turned back to Nora who was flipping through the cookbook he had gotten her._

_The small box was light, and when Casey saw the tag, saying it was from Derek, she guessed that it was probably empty, or there was something stupid inside like toilet paper. The green paper was creased and taped horribly, but she managed to hook her thumb under it and pull open a tab. Derek had already left for his room, armed with Xbox games and new CDs and she doubted that he would be coming down for a while._

_Underneath all the God awful paper, there was a blue box tied with white ribbon. She felt her breath catch as she lifted the lid. Nestled in the tissue paper, was this hideous, tacky bracelet. All "X's and O's" twined together with diamonds. It was something she would never wear at all, and she couldn't understand why on earth Derek would have chosen something like this for her._

"_What's that honey?" Nora asked, leaning to look over Casey's shoulder and gasped. "Did Derek get you that?" She was surprised. So was Casey, who just nodded dumbly._

"_I wonder..." Nora began, reaching down to grab the box, when the front door blew open, Casey's hand flew over the box, covering the gift. _

"_Where is Derek?" The blonde haired girl screamed, wrapping her arms around herself._

"_Um...Kendra?" Nora asked, standing up. "We didn't know you were coming, would you like something to drink? There's still some hot chocolate left?"_

_Kendra pushed past Nora, her scarf almost slapping the poor woman in the face as she stomped up the stairs. "Derek!"_

_Nora stood there, dumbfounded and George got up as well, wrapping his arm around her shoulder as they all listened. A door opening, then a door slamming shut. Kendra pounding on the door until it seemed to burst open. Then yelling. A lot more yelling._

_Casey lifted up one finger and peaked at the silver bracelet. Could it...she moved the tissue paper aside, and saw a small card. _

To Kendra,

Derek.

_Oh. My. God._

_There was a loud slam, stomping and then Kendra appeared, red faced and crying. She seemed to fly down the stairs and out the front door before anyone could blink or utter a word. A car started up somewhere outside and screeched out and down the street._

"_Is she gone?" Derek's voice asked from the top of the stairs. _

"_Yeah," George replied. "She's gone."_

_Derek breathed a sigh of relief and jogged down the rest of the steps. "Good."_

"_What did you do to her?" Nora asked._

_Derek shrugged. "I broke up with her like, last week. But apparently she thought she would still get her present because she had pretty much picked it out and everything. I told her a while ago that she wouldn't but I guess not seeing it this morning woke her out of her stupor and she came over here to get it. But I told her I'd already given it to someone else."_

"_Who?" Casey found herself asking, as she stared up at him with defiance._

_Derek shrugged. "Just this chick that goes to my school."_

"Mommy?"

Casey shook her head, her eyes focusing back on her daughter. "Sorry, just remembering." She got a little twinkle in her eye. "Keep that on and go where it in front of Daddy, see what he says. He's always hated that bracelet."

Lucia smiled, holding up her wrist and giving a silly little wave. Casey smirked, reaching down to tickle her daughters' sides so that she was shrieking with laughter.

"Okay," Lucia breathed between laughs. "Uncle. Uncle!"

Casey giggled and removed her hands, bending down to pick up a pink gift bag that had fallen off the bed in the struggle.

"I almost forgot all about this one." She exclaimed, pulling out a little red velvet box. "Look at these, Lou." The little girl took the box carefully from her Mom and lifted the lid with a gasp. "Ooh these are so pretty!" Inside the box were gold heart shaped earrings, decorated with ruby stones and diamonds.

"Did Daddy get you these?"

Casey nodded. "Yes, on our first Valentine's Day together."

Lucia looked at them and then back up at her Mom. "You should wear them."

Casey slipped her fingers in Lucia's thick hair, combing out some of the messy curls. "Should I?"

Lucia gave a big nod. "Yes, and see if Daddy notices."

"_I had a great time tonight, Derek." Casey murmured as they drove back to the apartment complex they were sharing for University._

"_What?" Derek asked, glancing over at her as he switched lanes. "Stop mumbling like some idiot."_

_Casey rolled her eyes, glad it was dark enough outside that he couldn't see the blush on her cheeks._

"_I said my night wasn't totally awful."_

_Derek snorted. "Sure you did."_

"_I did."_

"_Not. You did not. Anyways, I'm taking that as a compliment, our first date that you have been planning for months and it actually went along without a hitch. I guess there is something to be said for perfectionist keeners." _

_Casey swatted at him. "I_ had_ to plan this far ahead, it's Valentine's Day and everyone always makes reservations months in advance. Just be happy we got to go out to a decent restaurant and not like McDonalds or something."_

_Derek opened his mouth to reply but Casey cut him off. "And this isn't our first date. We do tons of things together."_

"_Yeah, but not something so...romantic-y. Grocery shopping and _Tim Hortens_ stops between classes aren't exactly dates, Case. The candle lit table with heart shaped...God everything was heart shaped. That screams date."_

"_Did you like it?" Casey asked him stubbornly._

_Derek shrugged. "It was pretty damn good, yeah."_

_Her face soften and she found herself reaching out to him, pacing her hand on his arm. "Really, Der?"_

_And then Derek jerked the car off to the left, and pulled them into an abandoned, dimly lit gas station. "Hold on a sec. I need to fill this thing up."_

_And then he was gone, out of the car, crossing the other lanes and into the small building leaving Casey, sitting all alone in a different part of town when it's pitch black outside. The darkness lurking with many odd people, waiting for someone like her to rape or mug._

_..._

_The sitting by herself thing? Yeah, that lasted for about ten seconds._

_Then she was scrambling to undo her seat belt and hurry over to Derek, who was nodding to the acne prone teen at the till and making his way back outside._

_Casey ran into him._

"_Why would you leave me alone?"_

_Derek rolled his eyes, slipping his card in the machine by the car and grabbing the gas nozzle. "I don't suppose you unlocked the gas tank?"_

_Casey huffed, opening the driver's door and hitting the button. "Yes, I did."_

_Derek rolled his eyes again, slipping the nozzle in, soon Casey could hear and smell the gas running, which made her feel a bit nauseous. _

"_I got you something." Derek's voice broke her out of her thoughts. _

"_What?" She asked, as she turned towards him slowly._

"_Just now, I figured since it's the love holiday and we just went out on a date, I am legally bound to buy you something." And then he was digging in his coat pocket and Casey felt her heart leap into her throat._

_Did he actually buy her something?_

_A little pink canister was placed in her hand. You know, the kind that comes out of those prize machines filled with tattoos or toys that only cost a dollar._

"_...What?"_

_Derek grinned down at her expression. "I knew you'd love it!"_

_She blinked, trying to tell herself that she did not want to cry or fling the stupid gift across the gas station._

"_This is seriously what you picked up for me?"_

_The smile on Derek's face slowly slid off. "Yes. What's inside there is for you." He looked sort of...hurt. "If you don't like it, I could try and bring it back-"_

"_No, no. I love it Derek, thanks." She tried to smile at him, but it was shaky._

"_Aren't you going to open it?"_

_With a sigh, she popped open the top, and found herself staring at these tiny, very _real _looking, heat shaped stud earrings. _

"_Wha..."_

_Derek burst out laughing. "You should...have se...seen the look on your face. Priceless. Just priceless, Case."_

"_But how did you..." She trailed off._

_Derek was still chuckling, but he managed to reach inside his other pocket to pull out an actual jewellery box. "I wanted to give you these, but I figured it might be...awkward if I just handed them too you. I did just buy this canister though, so I wasn't exactly lying so you can't accuse me of that."_

_Casey was grinning now. "I wasn't planning on it."_

"_Yeah," Derek reached a hand up, rubbing the back of his neck. "So do you like them?"_

_She beamed. "Yes. I do." And then she was leaning up on her tiptoes and pressing her lips to his for a heartbeat before falling back down on her feet._

"_Thank you."_

"What are you ladies doing?"

Both Casey and Lucia turned to look at the doorway, where Derek was currently standing with a little smile on his face.

"Looking at Mommy's jewellery, see she's wearing some of them!" Lucia grinned at Derek, raising her arms up so he could scoop her off the bed.

"And what is Princess Lou doing with this?" Derek carefully ran a finger over the bracelet still adorning his daughter's petite wrist.

"Mommy told me to keep it on to see what you would say."

Derek laughed, hoisting Lucia up a little higher on his hip, causing her little curls to bob.

"I think it looks ten times better on you than it ever looked on her. Not that she ever wore it." He ended, shooting a playful glare in his wife's direction. Casey stuck her tongue out at him, crossing her arms across her chest.

"It wasn't even meant for me."

"Yeah, but I gave it to you in the end. That has to count for something."

Casey just rolled her eyes, making her way over to her husband and daughter.

"To bad it doesn't." She whispered in his ear with the smirk she had adopted from him and headed out the bedroom door.

* * *

_xoxoTaraxoxo_


	2. B&E Realizations

_Well here is chapter two...one-shot number two...? I'm not sure what to call it but I had a great time writing it. And for those of you who noticed, the title is named after a Beatles song. One of my favourites. I am a HUGE Beatles fan and most of my stories are written to their music. Anyways, thanks for all the reviews. Sorry I couldn't update sooner, but I'm at a music camp right now, so it's hard to find time. But thanks again to all of you amazing people. I wish I could send you a big tub of chocolate cookies._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

_R&R_

_Happy Canada Day!_

_xoxoTaraxoxo_

* * *

Derek felt like a sneaky ninja or spy.

It wasn't everyday he was ordered to break into his step-sister's apartment. And definitely not by his step-mother who waved a fifty dollar bill in front of him like he was some money sucking, teenaged University student.

Okay, so he was.

And his last "Barbie" as Casey would call it, had a love for expensive jewellery and extra large latte's. So he wasn't exactly swimming in cash right now, and being ordered to snoop through Casey's things and get paid for it? It's a win/win kind of deal.

He pulled up in front of a nice, expensive looking brick building with flowers growing up along the high fences and...were those guards or just really nice statues?

After some "run ins" with her previous roommates, something about them not respecting her strict study schedule, Casey practically begged Nora and George to get her, her own apartment. After they declined, saying the price would be too much with Lizzie and Edwin both in high school and a new baby, Casey was left heartbroken, stuck studying in the library. Until Dennis swooped in with a fat check and bought her an apartment in the best complex in town. While Casey was lounging in class, Derek was still making his place in the world, from the very small space in the boy's sports dorm residence.

Nora had called him because Casey, for the last little while, had seemed very distant on the phone and not like her usual self at all. She didn't call when she promised to, she skipped classes every once and a while. And the worst of it all, a while back when Nora had called her on her cell phone, she could hear a man's voice in the background as Casey rapidly assured her Mother that everything was fine and normal.

Frankly, to Derek, this sounded nothing like Casey and he guessed Nora was making quite a bit of this up or just really over exaggerating it. But the money factor in it was too much to turn down, so now he found himself climbing out of his car, pulling his jacket closer to himself as he ran through the light spring rain to the door.

There was some kind of doorman, wearing a red jacket and clutching an umbrella and Derek gave his best, friendly smile to him and pushed open the door.

The lobby was a crisp white with green furniture and his shoes squeaked on the white tiled floor. The woman sitting on one of the couches wearing a pant suit and clutching a cup of coffee shot him a disproving look and went back to her magazine.

_He could see why Casey liked a place like this. It was very...clean. A clean lobby with a clean doorman and a very clean...welcoming woman?_

Derek reached in his coat pocket and grabbed the folded up fast food receipt, and flipped it over to where he had written down everything Nora had told him too.

_White Rock Apartments_

_Floor 14_

_Room 873B_

He glanced around; looking for the elevator Nora had said was just to the right of the front door. There was a little hallway, and Derek walked towards it, shoes squeaking all the way. The woman sitting in the lobby gave a nasty audible sigh.

The elevator was down the hallway at the end, and he broke into a jog, glancing anxiously behind his back to see if he was being followed. He was a spy after all. A Venturi spy. And all of his lessons to Edwin and Marti and even the McDonald girls, when they moved in, about being sneaky applied now. The master needed to do his job.

Nora had emailed him a list of Casey's classes, so he knew that he had exactly twenty two minutes and four point seven seconds to explore Casey's dwellings before she came back from her Women's Literature class, and he was due at hockey practice.

By the time Derek got on to the right floor, he felt his hands go clammy and he swallowed nervously, licking his lips. He crept out of the elevator, resisting the urge to go all the way and do a shoulder roll out, and made his way to the far wall. Casey's room was about half ways down, and as long as she wasn't skipping and hanging out in her room with "Mr. Devil" as Nora so fondly called him, or one of her neighbours saw him, he was home free.

869...870...871...872...873.

The door had a tacky little pink sign hanging off the door knob saying "Welcome" in bright cheerful print with a little butterfly hanging off the corner. He didn't even need to look at the paper to know this was Casey's apartment.

Derek curiously shook the door handle. Locked. Not that he was surprised. Nora had warned him about this and told him to sweeten up the lady downstairs and she would probably unlock it for him. But with his luck, the manager of this place was no doubt Mrs. I Have Major Problems with Squeaky Shoes, so that option was out.

He wracked his brain. What was it Lizzie and Marti had used to pick the lock on his door back home? Some kind of hair accessory? Bobby something.

That was obviously and out.

The light bulb suddenly clicked on and he grabbed his wallet out of his back pocket, grasping an old bank card he hadn't thrown out yet. The summer before he and Casey left for University, Edwin went through a Houdini/Escape Artist phase which had ended abruptly when he forgot the key to one of his traps and couldn't get his head out of Marti's fish tank. Derek chuckled at the memory. George had to smash the front glass with a hammer. Water and goldfish went everywhere.

But Edwin had shown him how to get into a locked car with nothing but a credit card and a little, creative jimmying.

This had to be the same thing. Sort of.

And after five minutes of wiggling the card in the keyhole, there was a little click and the door swung open.

Her apartment was very...soft. Plush. The living room was simple enough, but the couch and matching recliner took up most of it. They each had a large throw blanket draped over the back of them and several plush cushions including one rather large, stuffed purple rabbit which Derek squinted at and flicked between the eyes.

The bathroom had a pink and purple shower curtain and the rugs covering just about every logical surface all were a soft lavender colour. And everything smelt like tangerines and citrus. It made his stomach flip in a different way and he pushed it off as gas from the pizza he ate an hour before.

The kitchen had to be the best part of this "Casey Place". For one thing, it was clean and organized, which made it a lot easier for Derek to find things. A Tupperware container on the counter was filled chocolate cookies and he helped himself to several, making sure to close the container properly when he was done.

Her fridge had some leftover homemade lasagne in it, and his stomach rumbled appreciatively. There wasn't enough time to have a plate though, so he put it back on its proper shelf and grabbed the milk jug instead, promising himself that he would come visit Casey more often, when supper was ready.

Derek carefully wiped up the milk circle and the cookie crumbs on the counter and made his way down the hallway on the side of the kitchen. Nora had told him to watch out for any clothes lying around, pictures of men that he hadn't seen before and the worst of it all...condoms. To let them know if Casey was sexually active. When Nora began talking about this on the phone, Derek almost choked on his burger and warned her that he would be hanging up if she mentioned the word "Sex" and "Casey" in the same sentence again.

Nora just laughed and agreed, thanking him again for doing this for her because really, he was the only one she could turn to blah blah. Derek hadn't said anything after that.

He opened her bedroom door, and was hit with another strong citrus smell. Her bed was made, and her pyjamas were placed at the foot of it. Casey's desk was neat and all of her homework was still placed in its proper folders, sorted alphabetically, then by colour and finally by her preference of the class and assignment.

Her laptop was closed and locked and he didn't even bother trying to figure out the password.

And when he forced himself to look, the only in her garbage can was an old gum package and tampon wrappers. No condoms.

He rolled his eyes. Nora was over exaggerating, as he guessed. Derek turned to leave Casey's room, seeing as there were only seven minutes and eight point three seconds left of his precious snooping time and he hadn't even looked through her pantry yet, when something caught his eye.

Thumb tacked on Casey's ceiling, right above her bed, were pictures. Family and friend photos in a big collage.

Hesitantly, he sat on her bed, craning his neck up to see. He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror on her door and rolled his eyes. Here he was, sitting gingerly on her bed glimpsing at her personal items looking like a creeper, not quite understanding how the trade worked. So he leaned back and spread himself over her bed. The smell of citrus was overwhelming and he felt his heart tug a little. He hadn't smelt this in a while. This...Casey scent.

There were pictures of her, Nora, Lizzie and Dennis back when she was still young and had blonde hair? He didn't recall ever seeing some of these pictures. There was one with Casey holding Marti at their high school graduation with Marti wearing her grad cap. One with Nora, Lizzie and Casey baking, all with flour on their cheeks and dough on their fingers. Casey and Edwin playing basketball outside. Casey sitting at the table with George going over his taxes with him. Casey and Emily swimming in her pool.

Then there were new ones. Pictures of Casey in University with people he hadn't seen before. Pictures of Casey waitressing at the little dinner across the street where she got a job.

But the ones that really caught his eye, were the ones right in the middle of the collage. There were pictures of him. Pictures of just him. Pictures of him and Casey. Pictures of him and Casey back home, during their vacation to the lake, during the day they moved into University. And even some that were of him playing University hockey. Those were new, so Casey must have got them from the school website or...she came to his games? Really?

The pictures involving him took up most of the collage and he felt a weird feeling in his chest and his mouth tasted dry. _Oh. My. God._

He remembered the day when he snuck Casey out of her afternoon classes and they drove down to the coast for a week. She had wanted to call Nora during one of the days but he had rolled his eyes at her and told her not to be such a Mama's Girl and then dragged her to some carnival that had come to the small beach town and she had forgotten about it.

He remembered the day when they went out for lunch and then to a play that she really wanted to see and skipped their last class and his hockey practice for that day.

And he definitely remembered the day when he and Casey went out for dinner to celebrate the A on her most recent essay and his winning goal at the last game. They went for a walk around the University afterwards and Derek even grabbed her hand to drag her over to a bench. He didn't let go for a while either. And that was the evening when Nora had called Casey's cell and he kept talking to her and making funny faces when she tried to shush him.

Derek had done a lot with Casey outside of their regular lives. They hadn't ever been to each other's houses or anything but they did spend a lot of time with one another.

And that is when he came to the startling realization that he was now her beau.

It didn't help that all the pictures with him made a heart shape if you really looked.

_Fuck. Well this was...interesting._

Now what was he suppose to tell Nora?


	3. Dead Tired

_Ta da! Another little one-shot. Now this one may be slightly confusing at first but I checked it over and I don't think I'm missing any information that you need. Although it is 1:33am so forgive me for the careless mistakes I know I missed. _

_This chapter came out of silly (stupid) boys, bottled water, sunshine and John Krasinski. Oh dear goodness. :D_

_I hope you enjoy this! R&R!_

_Disclaimer: All I own, sadly, is the image of Dasey actually happening, in my head. *Grumble grumble Family Channel.*_

* * *

"Casey," Derek whined, rolling over and burying his face in the pillow. "It's fucking midnight and I have a game tomorrow! Can we _please_ go to sleep now?"

His only response from the brunette was the clicking of her laptop keyboard and an annoyed sigh. "When I'm finished this chapter Derek."

He groaned, "That's what you said half an hour ago!"

"And I'm still not done, so shut up or suck it up. Or both. You choose."

Derek lifted his head up from the pillow, blowing some of his messy bed-head hair out of his eyes so he could glare at his wife. Of course, she was totally oblivious, biting her lip as she concentrated on the screen. Her forehead had a slight crease in it from concentrating so hard and he felt a wave of sympathy wash over him. He passed it off as just tiredness.

Three years. Three long, painful, wonderful years of being married to this insane woman. Yes, married. They had gotten married right after University, which hadn't really surprised anyone. Even their school friends barely said anything as they saw them strolling down the streets of London hand in hand, looking at potential spots to hold the ceremony.

Life was good, so far. Derek had a good job settled down, with his own private film business. So far, all he was doing was filming local parties and weddings and sometimes filling in for some of the camera men at the local news station, but that was only sometimes. And every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, he coached the local high school hockey team, which required him to show up at each and every game. Like the game tomorrow, that was going to be taking place in a small town a three hour drive away from Toronto. God he was going to be so tired if this woman didn't let him sleep.

"When we bought this house, you told me you wanted your own office, overlooking the gardens so you could write. I made you a fucking office and painted it that "egg shell" blue colour for you and everything. Can't you use it?" He whined to his wife. Derek knew he sounded needy, but the five things he loved the most in life we're food, sleep, hockey, beer and Casey. You mess with either one of those and the result was never pretty.

Casey spared him a glance this time and he felt his breath catch in his throat. She was still just as beautiful now as when she was in high school, when she had first captured his heart. Her hair was pulled back in a messy pony tail and she leaned up against the headboard, knees up with her laptop balanced on them. Her black sweater was zipped up to her neck and her little black shorts were ridding up a little with her current position.

"I am in a zone Derek. A good zone. If I leave this position, this area, the zone could disappear and this chapter would never be finished. It would be a total waste of time and this whole book would be a waste of time and it would never get published because-"

"Okay! I get it!" He snapped, rolling over so his back was to her. He heard her sigh once more and the typing picked up again.

Don't get me wrong. Derek loved that Casey was writing. He loved that in such a short time, she had already had one book published and it had done really well. So well, her editor suggested writing a sequel or making it a series which was what she was working on now. Although it wasn't working quite as well as the first one, which was to be expected. It's always hard to recreate the magic of a good thing. Or so Casey told him.

_Click, click, click, click, click._

The sound of her fingers bouncing off the keys was rhythmic and if Derek really tried hard, he could make out a pattern or beat in the typing. It always boggled his mind, how one person could sit down and write words, any bunch of words and if they fell into the right places at the right times, they told a story. Not all stories were good or happy but they all were created by one person, usually. One idea. And to him, that was pretty neat; especially when it's someone you know who does it. Someone like Casey.

"Derek?" Casey's voice rang in the quiet room. It shook a little, and he wondered if she actually thought he was mad at her. He hadn't been really mad at her in a long time. Sure, he got pissed or annoyed, but never spitting mad.

"Hmm?"

"What's another word for 'declaration'?"

"Speech?"

"No not really." She said thoughtfully. "More like something final. A speech can be so open ended and it's not really-"

"Statement? Affirmation?"

She paused. And then he could almost hear her smiling. He could feel the way the corners of her mouth twitched up and he felt her gaze on his back, probably giving him one of her "Pleasantly Surprised" looks.

And then lips were on his cheek for a quick kiss. Before he could even think about moving his head to meet them, they were gone.

"That's what I was looking for." And she was back to typing. Ah, the ups and downs in this relationship of theirs.

He must have dozed off for a few minutes, which is surprising seeing as he has never been able to sleep with a light on, and Casey had turned them all on.

"Done!" She exclaimed, clicking a few more before shutting of her laptop and smiling down at him.

He blinked blearily. "Are you sure?"

"Yes Derek."

"Are you positive?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes Derek. The chapter is done and we can go to bed. Happy?"

He grunted in agreement, watching as she climbed out of bed and placed the laptop on top of her dresser. She unzipped her sweater so it was hanging open, and bent down to unplug the charging corner from the wall and Derek stopped breathing for a second.

"What are you wearing?"

Casey lifted her head up to shoot him a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

He lifted a finger to point at her barely covered chest. The light blue, lacy bra clinging to her breasts was something new. Casey had often given him the lecture about strong, independent women not needing to wear something so risqué for themselves or a man.

This was something totally new. Not that he was complaining.

Casey looked down at herself and blushed. Apparently she forgot about the damn thing.

"Oh this? I saw it when I was shopping with Mattie this afternoon and thought it looked alright. She was the one who insisted I buy the set."

Derek swallowed hard. "Set?"

"Yeah. Like a bra and panties set. I don't know why I bought it or anything but..."

And he watched her slip the shorts down her long, tanned legs. Then the sweater fell off her shoulders and onto the floor as well. Derek felt all the blood in his body run south.

Casey slipped her fingers into the hair tie and slid it out of her thick locks, shaking them to give them a little more bounce and volume and Derek began thinking of all the times he'd fantasized in high school of girls doing this exact sort of thing.

Only they were playboy models or girls in the bikini sections of _Sports Illustrated_.

Now, he had a sexy, keener wife who had read her fair share of romance books and already knew a thing or two and had showed them to him several times over the past couple of years. This was something that he'd only seen on their honeymoon.

And before he could process his own actions, he had sat up, reached over and caught her around the waist, tugging her down on to the bed with him. Oh he was going to be majorly tired tomorrow and probably wouldn't be able to focus at all on the game. But he always knew there was one reason why marrying a keener was a good thing.

Chances are, if you have a keener, she's also probably an OCD maniac and a perfectionist. This can be a good thing under the right circumstances.

And as Casey's hands slid down his back, grasping the bottom of his t-shirt and began pulling it up and over his head, he decided that it was a very good thing.


	4. Park, Park, Park

_Woo! I appologize for how freakin' long it took to get this chapter up. But life happens, which is a terrible excuse but it's the only one I've got. _

_Plus it was my birthday yesterday, or else I would have had this up a day sooner! Happy Sweet 16 to me! _

_Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I wanted to do something with the newest McDonald-Venturi, so I hope you like it. Please review and let me know though. I want to be more consistent with my updates, but I can't unless you help me as well!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing. Don't remind me. :(_

* * *

New York was a constant buzz of energy. University was a hectic mess of papers and pens. But coming home to visit her family and to see the newest addition, baby Simon? That had to be the worst. Walking into the house was like walking into a _Toys R Us _that had exploded. Toys of every shape and colour were thrown all over the house, as well as papers from George's law cases and different reports from Nora's business, which she had taken over.

"No! No! Simon, you get back here. I need that!" Casey heard her mother yell as she was walking down the stair case.

"Simon Weston Venturi! I mean it!" Nora tried again, but it didn't do much. Casey practically ran into her little brother as he was about to book it up the stairs, no doubt to hide his new treasure in his room.

"Gottcha!" Casey exclaimed, catching the little tyke in her arms and hoisting him up onto her hip. He was clutching a calculator for dear life, and was constantly squirming, trying to get out of his big sisters hold.

"Put...me down!" He ordered, but Casey just laughed. He really was part Venturi, with this stubborn attitude.

"No way. You need to go face the music, little man. Plus, I think that calculator doesn't belong to you."

Simon looked down at it and frowned. "But I like it."

"Well, maybe if you asked Mom nicely, she'd let you play with it when she's not using it. Okay?" Casey asked.

The boy sighed, rolling his eyes at her. "Fine."

Casey just chuckled as she walked back to the kitchen where her Mom was pouring over balance sheets on the island. She looked up as her eldest entered, carrying her youngest. "Simon," Nora sighed, placing a hand on her forehead. "I don't mind if you use this stuff to play with but you need to ask first, okay?"

"Yes, mommy." Simon grumbled, handing the calculator back to her. Both women sighed as he wiggled his way out of Casey's arms before scampering off into the living room.

"He definitely has some of the Venturi in him." Nora stated and Casey laughed.

"Some? I think that's a bit of an understatement." She looked over towards the island's surface, which was covered with a laptop and stacks of folders and papers. "What are you working on?"

Nora ran a tired hand through her hair. "Just making sure everything is filled out and sent off by the deadlines. It isn't easy, either, with an excited little boy sneaking around." Nora glanced up at her daughter suddenly, a smile on her lips. "Casey, my darling Casey."

Shaking her head rapidly, Casey replied. "No way mom. No way. I am not babysitting Simon. You know how hard it is for me to get him to listen."

Nora pouted, clasping her hands together. "Please Casey? Just until six? By then supper will be almost ready, George will be home and I'll have gotten most of these done. Please?"

Casey just crossed her arms over her chest.

"Derek left a few hours ago to go play some hockey with the boys from his old team and he should be back soon. You could meet up with him. Even switch with him half way through so you don't have to do it all."

Casey blinked at this, but otherwise kept her face indifferent. She was getting better at this, Derek would be proud.

"Please? Do it for your mama?"

_Curse my nice, loving nature. Why do I always have to be the good, responsible one?_

"Fine." Casey sighed. "I'll do it."

The fall air was crisp and a little chilly, so Nora made sure Simon was all bundled up in several layers before placing him in the stroller.

"Now if you see him looking cold at all, I put an extra sweater for him in here." She handed Casey a blue striped bag. "If you see any of the stray cats that live in the neighbourhood, don't let them come near him, I think he's allergic." Casey nodded, bending down to help her Nora strap little Simon in. He looked up at her with his big, blue eyes, and she almost felt bad for him. It didn't look like he could move his arms or legs at all; they were so plastered in thick clothing.

"And whatever you do, do not let Derek convince you to do anything with Simon. The last time we let Derek take him out by himself; Simon had consumed four popsicles and came home ready to get all of them out of his system...if you know what I mean."

Casey scrunched her face up in disgust, grabbing her own scarf off the hook by the door and wrapping it hastily around herself. "I won't mom, and don't worry. Everything is going to be fine. It's just Derek, I can handle him. I've been handling since I was fifteen. Stop worrying."

Nora took a deep breath, running her fingers through her long bangs. "I know, I know. But...why was I thinking it would be easy to still manage my own company, raise a baby and keep all the other kids in line? What was going through my head?"

Casey laughed. "You're doing fine, mom. I know you can do it. You just need a little help every once and a while, and that is what I'm here for. In fact, I should have been here since the beginning." Casey said, turning away slightly.

Nora shook her head, placing her hands on her eldest's shoulders, pulling her close. "Casey, what you did was starting to live your own life. We always will want you at home, but these were my choices, and you made yours. Just because they're different doesn't mean anything changes." Nora moved her hands down Casey's arms and took her hands. "You're always going to be my Casey, okay?" She whispered soothingly.

"Okay." Casey sighed, shooting her mom a grateful look. It was hard, being in New York away from her family and friends. To wake up every day to an empty apartment, and not have to fight for the shower. No tripping over hockey gear thrown at the bottom of the stairs or find all of her shampoo bottles had been poured in the sink for another one of Marti's "Potion Creations".

In fact, Casey had gotten so use to the Venturi's being there, that she felt almost sad, every time she realized they weren't. At practices she would be out of it, lost in thought.

_How were Lizzie's classes going? Had Edwin done any major pranks yet? How was Marti handling Simon? Was it still hard for her not to be the youngest? And Derek...how was he handling University without her, was he still going to class or was he just partying and sleeping around. Oh, what if he was-_

"_Casey! Focus!" Mr. Blue would shout at her from the bottom of the stage before sighing and motioning for the music to start over again._

"_Is everything okay, Case?" Jesse would ask and she would briskly correct him. "It's Casey, and everything is fine, Jesse. Why?"_

_He would just shrug, reaching up behind his head to rub the back of his neck, one of the things he would always do if he felt nervous or awkward. Like someone else back home. "Well you're sort of been stumbling the whole dance. And you kicked Georgia in the back when you twirled."_

_Casey whipped around to see the petite red head shooting her a death glare as she rubbed her lower back. "I am so sorry, Georgia. I wasn't concentrating." _

"_Yeah, I can tell." Georgia snapped back, and made her way over to where Mr. Blue was standing, and asked him for a five minute break. He had nodded, and helped her off the stage, shooting Casey his own look as he passed her._

When Mr. Blue told them a couple months later, that their last show was going to be that night because tickets weren't selling the way they should, everyone in the cast groaned at the bad news. Some even started to cry. Casey could only watch as Georgia fell into Jesse's arms, eyes filling with tears as he comforted her. Casey didn't say or do anything. In fact, this was one of the best things she had heard in a long time. After this show, she could leave New York. She could leave this place and go back home. She could go to school, something she had really been missing, and she could see her family.

Pushing the stroller outside the door, Casey shivered involuntarily as the icy autumn air hit her face. It took her a while to manoeuvre the stroller down the front steps, before she was off down the driveway, turning right and heading for the community rink just a few blocks down.

This was so much more different than New York. She could actually look up at the sky here, without any buildings or city lights affecting her view. The sidewalks and roads were covered with parked cars and scattered gold and red leaves.

As her and Simon were passing under a tall maple, a few leaves got caught on a slight breeze and tumbled towards the ground. Casey stopped pushing and both she and Simon looked up, watching them slowly flutter on the breeze as they descended towards the ground. One glided right past the buggy and Casey watched with a smile as her almost two year old brother reached one of his chubby hands out, trying to catch the leaf. It brushed past his fingers before it continued its motion, down towards the sidewalk. Casey leaned over the top of the stroller to look at the face of her little brother. It was filled with wonder and awe and she quickly leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to his rosy, chubby cheek.

"Casey?" She lifted her head, looking up the street to see her step-brother jogging towards her. His skates slung over his shoulder and a hockey stick in his hand. His hair was windswept back, and she found herself smiling a little, glad he grew it out again. His hair was so adorable when it was long.

She rolled her eyes at that comment, shaking her head. After she came back from New York, and signed back into University, it had been different around her and Derek. Almost like the break had done them some good because now...they were more like...friends.

They had missed each other while she was away, and it was nice to know that at least one person knew her around campus. He had lead her around the town, bringing her to different places and activities. He even took her to a coffee shot which did open-mic poetry every Thursday. She had almost been in University for a year now, and Derek was already done his second. When George had called them up, asking to come for a visit before the snow started piling down; they both arranged to miss a week of their classes and drove up.

"What are you doing here?" He asked once he reached her, his cheeks flushed from running in the cold. Simon cried out happily at the sight of his older brother and Derek bent down to give him a little kiss.

"Mom was stressed, Simon was being...well Simon and I offered to take him for a walk and meet you after practice."

Derek stood back up, breathing in deeply. "Well it doesn't look like you've gotten very far." He commented, pointing in the direction of their childhood home a few houses down.

Casey rolled her eyes at him and tried to scowl, although it came out more like a smile. "Simon and I were enjoying the scenery, right buddy?"

Simon looked up at both of them with his big blue eyes and grinned. "No."

Derek laughed and Casey shook her head at them.

"That word seems to be his favourite."

"Hey, why wouldn't it be? It's mine too, whenever you're involved." Derek quipped and she rolled her eyes, shoving him slightly. Derek suddenly became very serious, although there was still mirth in his warm brown eyes.

"Wait here for a couple minutes okay? I'll run and drop these off at the house and then we can take Simon to the park or something."

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Park! Let's go!" Simon shouted from his spot in the buggy fighting with the restraints as he tried to see his older brother.

Casey sighed, "All right."

It was quiet between them as they made their way along the street towards the park. Simon was keeping up most of the conversation with his constant, adorable chatter. Derek and Casey didn't really hear what he was saying most of the time, they'd just let him talk and share secret smiles. He really was a special little boy.

By the time they got to the playground, it wasn't very full. A few children we're scampering around on the monkey bars with the parents close by, but other than that the only people in the park were the walkers and joggers.

Casey barely unbuckled her brother before he shot out of the buggy, bursting at top speed towards the big green slide.

"I don't know if he actually learned how to walk yet. All he does is just run." Derek joked, pushing the stroller to a nearby picnic table and hopping up on top. Casey followed his example, and perched herself on the table, with her feet resting on the picnic seat.

"He is so full of energy. Were we ever like that?"

Derek laughed. "I suppose so."

Casey gave a soft smile as she looked over at him. The sun was shining on his hair, bringing out the golden streaks the summer sunshine had put in. His eyes twinkled with laughter and joy and she found herself caught up in the way he looked, which was so unlike her. Derek was her step-brother, (they had given up the whole "same difference" context during their last summer vacation before University) and that was all he was going to be.

Just then, little Simon came sprinting back towards them at full force. Flinging his little arms around Casey's ankles as he looked up at her with his big blue eyes, trying to catch his breath.

"Did you see me go down the slide?" He asked, giggling as Derek bent down and caught him.

"We sure did. I didn't think it was possible for little boys to go that fast." Simon giggled some more, shifting around so he was sitting on Derek's lap more comfortably. Casey just smiled at the two. She had always secretly loved when Derek acted like this. Usually it was just with Marti, but not he was extending the big brotherness to Simon. It made her heart swell as she watched them.

_It's just because he's so sweet when he talks to your little brother like that. And it's his little brother too. Think about it Cas-_

"Casey? Casey McDonald? Is that you?"

All three of them turned to face a slightly older woman. She had her black hair pulled back into a tight pony tail, a few grey streaks showing. She was dressed for jogging and obviously, that's what she had been doing, for she looked a little out of breath as she stood before them.

"I saw you and I was sure it was you." The woman continued.

Casey squinted, trying to remember what it was about this woman that was so familiar. It was Derek that spoke up first. "Mrs. Lassiter? You're married to Principal Lassiter right?"

The woman nodded, shooting them a grin. "Ah, so here's the famous Mr. Venturi. How has college life been treating you?"

Derek smirked. "Great. There's no principal's chair left in the office for me though. I kind of miss it."

Mrs. Lassiter laughed, and Casey suddenly remembered where she had seen the woman before. She worked as a nurse at the local hospital, and helped Casey when she got her appendix removed.

"I'll be sure to let my husband know that you're missing your place."

They watched as her gaze turned to focus on Simon, who was now leaning further back into Derek's chest, his little hands clutching his big brother's arms.

"This is Simon." Casey smiled at the little boy's obvious shyness. "Can you say hello, Simon?"

Simon gave a tiny wave before ducking back into Derek's chest. Mrs. Lassiter cooed. "Oh he is just so precious! You must both be so proud!"

Casey gave her own smile before reaching back to brush the boys bangs off his forehead. Simon always got a little nervous meeting people for the first time. Nora had told her about how hard it was for him to make friends at the local daycare.

"I think it's simply wonderful you two finally got your act together and just did it." Mrs. Lassiter continued, oblivious to the fact that the couple was now looking at her strangely.

"Did what?" Derek asked, perplexed.

The older woman shot him a look and gestured towards Simon, who was peeking out from under Derek's arm. Once he saw her looking at him, however, he cowered back under.

Casey and Derek looked at each other as the words she was saying set in. But before either of them had a chance to protest she was already back to talking. "I remember when my husband would come home; shake his head and say _"These two kids, once they put an end to all of this sexual tension, this whole school is going to run a lot smoother." _Of course he didn't tell me a lot of information, since he does have to keep things private, but as soon as I met you in the hospital I knew it must have been you two that he was talking about."

Casey flushed a deep scarlet and Derek looked like he was about to be sick. "No, no you misunde-"

"And now, it seems like University did you both some good. I know it must be tricky being so young, but sometimes it's better to get the jump on things than to beat around the bush, waiting for something that could be happening already. And just look at this little angel, he is the perfect combination of you both."

She grinned down at them and Casey felt like she was in high school all over again. "But..." Mrs. Lassiter checked her watch. "I am needed back at the hospital in half an hour so I think I better hurry home for a quick shower before I put on my scrubs. Take care you two!"

And she jogged away.

Derek and Casey turned to look at each other, and then at Simon, who was currently staring intently at a squirrel on the ground a few feet away. The air was thick and Casey felt like someone had ran to that huge elephant that now seemed some much more noticeable, and had beat it with a stick until it was angry and shaking with the energy that was buzzing around them.

Simon clapped, and the squirrel dashed away, scampering up a near tree, scattering leaves as it went.

"Well that was ridiculous." Derek stated abruptly, avoiding looking at her.

"Oh yes. That woman is simply insane." Casey echoed, although she was looking in the other direction too.

And just like that, the moment was gone. Dissolved. But the elephant in the room that use to be so tiny, was now big and raving and suddenly, life seemed a lot more complicated.

* * *

_Please review! It would make my birthday that much better!_

_xoxoTaraxoxo_


	5. Out Of Ten

_Because everyone enjoys something this sweet and fluffy once and a while. _

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

* * *

"So," Derek began. "As far as birthday surprises go how would you rate this one? Amazing right?"

Casey rolled her eyes at his arrogance but a small smile tugged at her lips.

"Well considering you dragged me out of my bed at three thirty on a Saturday morning, drove over the whole freakin' province just to take me to this one spot. Well that would be a four. But right now," Casey smiled that soft smile again, looking out at the sight in front of her. "Right now it's definitely and eight."

Derek snorted but followed her gaze. "More like an eleven to me." He grumbled but neither of them was really listening anymore.

Casey had always hated surprises. Especially surprise parties. So when she woke up this morning to being dragged out of her comfortable queen sized bed and on to the floor, she wasn't all that happy. And when you think about it, the only person idiotic enough to pull a stunt like this...well all options somehow lead back to Derek.

_Four Hours Earlier..._

"Where the hell are we going?" Casey snapped and crossed her arms over her chest as she glared out the car window. The "Now Leaving Kingston. Please Come Again!" sign hit her hard and she found herself panicking slightly as she watched Derek, as calm as could be, drive forward. Away from Queens, away from her apartment...away from home.

"We're going somewhere special for your birthday."

Her eyes widened. It was her birthday! After all the commotion that had happened in the last hour, (Scrambling to get up off the floor of her bedroom, untangling herself from her sheets and rushing over to her closet where her obnoxious step-brother was currently throwing random articles into his old hockey bag) she had completely forgotten which was slightly embarrassing.

And judging by the look on Derek's face, he knew it too.

"You forgot? Casey McDonald forgot something as important as this?"

"Shut it, Derek. And you never really did answer my question."

"You're now the big 20. Two zero. And you forgot?" He asked again, bemused.

"Der-ek! Where. Are. We. Going?" She shrieked, glaring at Derek as he simply shrugged and changed lanes.

"The way I see it, is that your last surprise party was a flop that ended with me making some corny video and you being high as a kite."

"It was the pain killers, reject. For my massive surgery."

"Massive?" He turned to look at her, one eyebrow raised. She had to resist the urge to stick out her tongue and turned to look out her window again.

"Anyways," Derek continued much to Casey's dismay. She was really considering opening the car door and taking the jump. "I got to thinking last week. And I know surprises aren't bad, and I know I'm not bad and I guess...you're alright. So the only thing I could think of that was bad in that situation was all the people. So I'm taking you somewhere, where it will only be you and me."

Casey peeked out at him from under her eyelashes. "What?"

Derek just rolled his eyes. "I'm saying no more. So shut up and sleep."

And after a few minutes, that is exactly what happened.

* * *

HONK! HONK!

"Shit!" Derek swore, fumbling around the wheel as he whipped the Prince around in a too tight turn that sent them spinning into the exit lane. Casey blearily opened her eyes, squinting at the large man in the truck Derek had just cut off, flipping them the bird.

"What's going on Derek?" Casey asked as he sped away as fast as he could from the intersection, passing everyone.

"Nothing." He barked out, cheeks a little red. His brown eyes were glued to the road in front of him and he did everything possible to avoid catching her gaze.

"Why did we just fly around like some crazy speed demon people?" Derek continued to ignore her, but he had slowed down to the speed limit and began to obey the natural law of gravity again. "You could have gotten us killed!"Casey cried angrily, her tiredness gone.

"But I didn't!" Derek exclaimed, glancing at her quickly. "So calm your little princess self down, grab the map and direct me okay?"

With one last hard look, Casey sighed, reached into the glove compartment and grabbed the folded up map. Sometimes it was better to just go with Derek rather than argue with him...although the latter was the most fun. But considering he was already in a bad mood, on her birthday, and driving an old vehicle that could get them into an accident at any second, Casey decided to roll with it.

* * *

The sky was still a bleak dark grey and the Prince was still going along the road in one piece, although Derek had turned them off the highway a while ago and onto a smaller road, that kept them passing by several fields that looked pretty eerie in the dark, so Casey was avoiding looking at them.

"So...do you like this yet?" Derek mumbled, shifting in his seat anxiously. Casey peeled her eyes away from the map to look at her step-brother. He had changed a lot since University in ways that made Casey blush and remind herself that his Father and her Mother shared a child. His body was more toned due to the rough hockey that he was still playing, and she often found herself staring at him when he moved, watching the muscles ripple under the tight skin.

Then he would catch her staring and she would make a joke about whale blubber and the moment would pass. His hair was growing out a little longer now then it was a few summers ago, and it was back to his natural tone rather than the darker one he dyed it too after losing a bet with Edwin. She liked it better long, it was nicer to grab onto when they had their little wrestling matches...not that they still did that.

"Wait, what did you say?" Casey questioned.

"I said, are you liking this yet? Spending your birthday with me?"

Casey squinted, trying to judge his expression in the dim light.

"I guess so." She said hesitantly.

"If you had to rate this out of ten, you know...just because. What would you give it?" Derek persisted, sparing her yet another quick look.

"Out of ten?"

"Yeah," Derek nodded.

"A four." Casey replied.

"A four?" Derek asked incredulously. "Why the hell only a four? I'm the one who planned this. I'm the one who bought you something. I'm the one who gave up my Saturday to do something for _your _birthday. Your twentieth birthday! None of your other stupid Uni-Sisters did!"

Holding up a hand, Casey shushed him. "You said you bought me something? I thought this whole Kidnapping Casey thing was my pseudo gift?"

"Casey, you've lived with me since we were fifteen. Just because I'm in University now doesn't mean I know what words like _pseudo_ mean."

Casey scoffed. "It means fake, you reject."

Derek rolled his eyes, dramatically placing a hand across his heart. "That hurt Case. After all I do for you..."

Sighing, Casey pinched the bridge of her nose. "You're changing the subject. You said you bought me something. What is it?"

"Watch the road." Was all Derek said, before taking both hands off the wheel and turning to dig into his backpack, sitting on the back seat amongst all his other junk.

"Der-ek!" Casey screeched, hands quickly grabbing hold of the wheel and keeping them in the middle of the lane. It didn't matter that they were on a deserted road surrounded by farm land at five in the morning. You just don't do things like this...unless you're Derek.

"Ah ha! Here it is!" Derek faced forward again, tossing a small box wrapped in pink paper with purple balloons on it, into his step-sisters lap. "I got one of those ladies at the mall to wrap it. And I got her phone number for it too!" He smirked and Casey rolled her eyes, ducking her head down to study the box to hide her smile. It was always shocking when Derek did something like this.

Nora had called her a week earlier, apologizing at not being able to make it to Kingston for Casey's birthday.

"_I would love to come Casey. We all would. But Simon woke up this morning with this awful cold and it's been going around his daycare and I just don't want to risk it getting worse by taking him outside. He needs to stay home."_

_Casey frowned, turning away from the spaghetti that was currently boiling on the stove to dry her hands on a dishtowel. "What about Lizzie and Marti? I understand why you can't but I had this whole girl's day planned. A spa, lunch at this new Italian place and that new Johnny Depp movie for dessert."_

"_I realize this Casey, but Edwin and Lizzie carpool to school together and after George caught Edwin and Molly Hampton getting... "acquainted" in the back seat right in front of the house, he took it away for the next two months, so both of them are out of a vehicle and I can't give mine up for more than two days."_

"_Can't they take the bus?" Casey pleaded. She hated when her family always ended up cancelling on things she had been planning. And it was her birthday! Her twentieth one! You'd think that might mean something..._

"_I'm sorry sweetie, but we've all talked about it and I can't see it working. And I'm not going to have you drive all the way up here on your birthday. There's nothing saying this special day of yours will never work, but it'll probably have to be in a few weeks time when I'm sure Simon is fine and George feels guilty enough to give the car back."_

_Sighing, Casey threw the dishtowel on the counter, trying not to let her frustration show in her tone. "Fine. We'll wait."_

"_Thanks for being so understanding! Love you! Happy early birthday!...Marti! Don't let Simon eat tha-" And with that, Nora hung up the phone._

With a final sigh, Casey slipped a manicured fingernail underneath the pink flap and began unwrapping the present, fully aware of Derek's eyes on her the entire time. Once the paper was off, she was let with a beautiful wooden box, with initials carved elegantly on the top...except the initials were CV.

"Sorry about the initial part. I guess the guy just assumed we had the same last name. I didn't have time to get it fixed." Derek mumbled, slowing the car down and turning them into a small rest stop. "I just have to fill the tank up and we're off. We should be there in another half an hour."

Casey was quiet as she watched him unbuckle and climb out of the car. As soon as his back was to her she breathed a shaky breath and ran her finger over the CV.

"Casey Venturi." She whispered before flushing a dark red and peering instantly out the window to where her stepbrothers form was hunched over the gas nozzle.

Casey Venturi. It didn't sound too bad. The guy making the boxes probably thought because they were siblings they had the same last name, as in George had adopted them. But Casey was thinking of it in a different way.

The car door opened and Derek climbed back in, throwing his wallet into his backpack before slipping his seatbelt back on.

"Didn't you open it?" He asked puzzled.

And without the slightest hesitation, Casey opened the lid, and breathed in the sight of...pictures. Pictures of her and Derek. Pictures she had never seen before. Pictures of them doing everything from watching TV together to swimming in Emily's pool. "You know how Edwin went into his little shutterbug phase after I started taking photography in University. These are all pictures he took from this year. I figured you could add them to your collection."

And with that, he pulled out and they were off.

* * *

They arrived, finally, at a small harbour. Derek simply handed her a small thin windbreaker and they climbed out, making their way down the worn out wooden steps to the dock. Derek walked briskly forward and Casey had to jog to keep up as she followed him down the pier. He stopped at last, next to a small white and blue boat with a dragonfly painted on the side.

"Climb aboard, Spacey."

_Back To Present..._

The sun was just rising, warming up the lake. The boat rocked gently on the currents as the two leaned over the railing. Everything was calm and quiet except for a few birds chirping good morning out in the trees.

"Thank you, Derek." Casey murmured, glancing at him quickly. "It really is the best way to spend my birthday. Just us."

Derek shrugged awkwardly, shoulder bumping her and snorting.

"Whatever Princess."

Casey smiled, looking back out over the orange water before turning back to him.

"Thanks." She said, one more time, before standing on her tip toes and placing a quick kiss on the corner of his mouth, ignoring the way her face instantly burned and his did the same.

Derek cleared his throat and awkwardly reached up to finger his necklace, twisting it around his finger before he sharply took a deep breath through his nose and placed a quick kiss on the top of her head.

"Happy Birthday."

* * *

_Review!_


	6. Rather Golden

_Thank you so much to everyone who has been reviewing! It means so much to me and I'm so glad you're all enjoying reading these as much as I am enjoying writing them. This one has been floating in my head for a while. I hope you like it!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

_Read & Review!_

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The rain beat down steadily on the streets of Kingston, adding a gray shade to the sky and pelting down on the people dashing around with umbrellas. Everything looked dreary and cold and in the small, local dress shop the atmosphere wasn't much better.

"This is stupid." Casey grumbled as she looked at her figure in the dressing room mirror.

"Actually," Derek countered. "I'd say it's rather golden."

Casey scoffed at his reflection behind her and did a little twirl, watching the way the fabric swished around her legs. "Out of everything she could have chosen...this is the worst."

Derek laughed. "No, it's worse than the worst. It's like some neon sign flashing in a really tacky way."

"Thanks for the compliment."

"Welcome."

The real stupid thing was, to invite Derek along to this fitting. Why she thought it might be a good experience for both of them was beyond her now, especially since he pulled his cell phone out and was now taking pictures of her ass (which looks like a giant sand dune) in the dress.

"Doesn't this look just scream Facebook profile picture?"

"Derek!" She screeched, whipping around to grab the phone out of his hand, tottering on the gold high heels that matched the dress. "I asked you to come with me to look at the dress, not to publicly humiliate me."

"I am not publicly humiliating you. I am simply taking pictures of this moment. I'm sure you're going to want to show it to your children...your grandchildren. It'll be a picture passed down generation to generation. Two hundred years from now your descendents will say to their children, _this is your Grandma Casey. See why we are so happy she was finally put down?"_

Casey scoffed, throwing the phone back at him so it bounced off his chest.

"That hurt Case."

"Shut up, or next time I'm putting it in my bra."

That had always been a threat for them. Casey never understood why Derek had such a problem with girls putting things, other than the necessity, in their bras.

"_Just give me the room card key, Derek. Then you can go out drinking and I can stay here and when I get tired I can just go back to the room."_

_Derek frowned, glancing around the carnival. It was getting late and the sun was just beginning to show signs of sinking. He didn't like the idea of leaving Casey alone...especially in a different town. Hell, he was still shocked that he had managed to get her out of University to come down here. For a week no less! But with Casey giving him that all knowing, pouty look, he kept forgetting his side of the argument._

"_Fine." He grumbled, slipping a hand into his back pocket to take out his wallet. _

"_You're going to let me back into the room when I knock though right?" He asked, passing her the card._

_Casey shrugged. "Depends on how drunk you are. I don't want to clean up Derek vomit all night."_

_Rolling his eyes, Derek crossed his arms over his chest. "That was one time! And I apologized! How long are you going to hold it against me?" _

"_As long as it takes." Casey answered, smiling brightly as she slipped the card into her shirt and tucked it safely inside her bra. _

_Derek's mouth fell open. "W-wh-what are you doing?" He swallowed loudly and shifted his eyes toward the ground. _

"_I'm wearing a skirt Derek. I don't have pockets to keep it in and I'm not just going to walk around holding it."_

"_Bu-but..."_

_Casey rolled her eyes. "I don't know where this is coming from, Derek but I'll give it back to you afterwards, okay? Now you go off and spend your evening the way you want to and I'll go back to the room and spend it how I want to, which involves a bubble bath and that new book I bought."_

_She smiled dreamily at him and Derek coughed, looking anywhere but down at her chest. _

"_Whatever princess, and you never know. I might pop by to join you sooner than you expected."_

Derek's eyes went wide and he held up his hands. "Okay, okay, I give. I'll stop taking pictures of your ass and you won't put anything of mine anywhere near your boobs. Deal?"

Casey wrinkled up her nose. "Because you worded that _so_ elegantly...fine, deal. Now, in all honestly, does this colour wash me out?"

Derek blinked, staring at his step-sister as she stood in front of him on too tall of heels painted in a tacky gold, a tight gold dress that fell just above her knees. He forced his eyes to look higher as he took in her upper body where the dress was its tightest. A small silver belt was tucked up right underneath Casey's chest which didn't help the fact that her breasts were practically falling out the top of the dress.

"Define...washing out?"

Casey through up her hands, wobbling back into the dressing room where she could change out of the snug dress. "You better be happy with this colour buddy, because you're wearing it too!"

"What?" Derek called as the change room door shut behind her. The door didn't fully touch the floor and he watched as Casey bent down to unbuckle her shoes before he heard the sound of a zipper sliding down and watched the silky material of the dress fall down to pool at her feet. He gulped, trying to get his eyes to focus on anything else...anything besides the fact that his step-sister was now out of that body-fitting monstrosity and was basically naked a mere five feet away from him.

"I said," Casey answered through the door, her voice slightly muffled as she pulled her sweater over her head. "That you're going to need to wear this colour too. Vikki insisted that all the bridesmaids bring their own dates, and since we've only been in University for three months, the only guys I know are the ones in my Women's Literature class who are either gay or taken and the ones on your hockey team and I am_ not_ asking them. So it's either you or Edwin, and I chose the one with the least amount of uncontrollable gas."

"Thanks?" Derek questioned, sighing quietly in relief when Casey stepped back out of the change room in normal clothes.

"So I'm taking you, which means you need to come here tomorrow and try on your suit."

"I need to wear a suit?" Derek whined, standing up and stretching his arms above his head.

"Yes. And don't whine. As much as I'd rather be doing this for anyone but Vikki, I'm doing it because she's my family and she really didn't have that many options for bridesmaids. I guess being a bitch all your life drops your girl friends level down considerably." They slowly made their way to the door, nodding to the owner of the small dress shop before slipping outside into the rain and over to Derek's car.

"And why am I doing this? Cause Vikki is my family too?" Derek snorted, slipping into the driver's seat and shaking his head, flicking little water droplets everywhere.

"No. You're doing this for me." Casey gave him a soft smile. "Is that okay?"

Derek swallowed, the image of him in a tight gold tux flashing behind his eyes before he focused on the girl sitting next to him, peaking at him shyly, as if she were afraid of his reaction.

"Yeah, it's okay."

* * *

"I'd like to thank... Norman and I would like to thank you all for coming to the wedding. You have no idea how much it means to me-us." Victoria blubbered into the mic, as she looked out on all her guests. "It's so nice to be able to share our love with all of you lovely people."

Casey and Derek both applauded politely, forcing smiles onto their face when Fiona and Harry came whipping around the crowd with a video camera. As soon as it left them and moved on to where the rest of the McDonald/Venturi's were sitting they both dropped their grins and hands.

"This is getting to be too much." Derek murmured slowly in Casey's ear, checking to make sure none of the other wedding party was paying them any attention. Fortunately most of were caught up in Vikki's speech, except for Norman's younger brother who was slowly moving his hand up and down Victoria's cousin's leg. Victoria's Cousin Jenny, who was in her late forties.

"You think?" Casey whispered back, leaning closer to him and resting her chin on his shoulder. "And by the way, you look really good in this tux." She tugged at the collar gently and Derek rolled his eyes. The tux wasn't the tacky gold Casey's dress was, but it was a pale cream with the same tacky gold for the tie and.

"You look absolutely fantastic in your dress." He told her sarcastically, forcing another grin on his face when Fiona and Harry came back around with the camera. "And those heels...you should definitely wear them more often." He laughed quietly.

Casey groaned, burying her face in his shoulder. "Never mention that again. They're to freaking high! It's not my fault I tripped."

"At least you didn't fall...although Fiona did catch it on camera and it's so going on the wedding video. And then Vikki will kill you for wrecking her, _Golden Wedding._"

"Shh!" Casey shushed him, when she caught Nora and George glaring at them pointedly. "You're being too loud. It's not polite to mock a wedding...during the wedding."

"And finally," Vikki continued, "I want to thank everyone again. Now let's get this party started. Bridesmaids, please lead everyone else onto the dance floor with your dates."

David Bowie's _Golden Years _started up over the speakers and people began moving up, slipping around to get to the dance floor. Even Nora and George were moving towards the floor, laughing as Edwin dragged Lizzie out onto the floor.

"I really don't want to go out there." Derek groaned, watching as everyone around him began standing up and making their way over to the middle of the room. He watched as Vikki tried to get her new husband up for their first dance and Norman shake his head, digging into another piece of cake.

"Bets. How long are they going to last?" Derek nodded his head in the direction of the new couple and Casey snorted.

"I'm going to be nice and say five months. You?"

Derek smirked. "The end of the honeymoon. Now are we going to go out there and boogie or what?" He questioned with a sly smile, wiggling his eyebrows.

Casey took one last look at her cousin with a forced smile on her face as she made her way onto the dance floor alone, her eyes whipping around looking for some poor, unsuspecting man to snatch for a few dances before Norman finished his extra slice of cake.

Derek smirked when he felt her fingernails gripped into his arm as she quickly dragged him onto the dance floor.

"I knew you found me irresistible."

Casey scoffed. "It's either me or the bride dressed in white. Highly inaccurate if you ask me." She mumbled under her breath, turning sharply so Derek slammed into her. Her arms wound themselves around his neck and he slowly slipped his own around her waist. The silk of her dress was hypnotizing and he took deep breaths as he tried not to think of how it would feel against other parts of his body.

"Derek! Long time no see!" Came a voice off to his left and he felt Casey tense underneath his arms. Victoria slithered around Norman's parents who were grinding profoundly to the slow song that was now playing.

"Hey Vikki!" Casey chirped with a fake smile, letting it slip into a real one when she saw Victoria cringe at the nickname.

"It's Victoria now. Victoria Julie Nelson actually, would be the correct full term." She clasped her hands together under her chin as she watched them swaying gently to the music with their arms still around each other. "So Casey, I must be blunt with you...Derek was the last person I expected you to bring as your date."

Casey's flushed a deep red. "Um...wh-why would you say that?"

Victoria shrugged, quickly waving at some well-wishers before she took a few steps closer to them. "Well, when I first saw the two of you together you spent the better half of it bitching about how obnoxious he was and practically ruining my Mother's wedding,"

Casey's mouth fell open, prepared to object but Victoria continued on. "And then, at the party in Toronto with Truman...you two were different. When we were all headed to the party, I could feel the intense waves between you two." She laughed then, and Derek found himself growing a little lightheaded and began peering back anxiously at Norman who seemed to have just finished his dessert and was slowly making his way over to his wife.

"I was even a little revolted sitting in the back seat of that dingy Prince car. It was so obvious you two had used it before. I mean, it must be hard to find time to sleep around back home." Victoria whispered before laughing and waving her husband over.

"It was nice talking to you!" She chorused at us, latching on to Norman's hand to drag him over to the middle of the floor.

...

The silence between them was awkward. Derek cleared his throat and gave a nervous chuckle. Casey's eyes were looking directly at his throat and the red tinge on her cheeks hadn't faded away.

"Well...at least we know Vikki has her eyes off of you." Casey said finally, forcing her eyes up to meet those of her step-brothers.

"Yep." He answered.

Neither of them noticed they were still holding onto each other tightly or that Edwin had whipped out his cell phone and sneaked a picture. And when Victoria did the classic "Throw-Bouquet-Over-Shoulder" deal and Casey caught it, Derek definitely didn't see Casey's eyes flicker towards him.

_Dasey is heating up! Please let me know what you think! _

_xoxoTaraxoxo_


	7. Spanish Waters

_Ta da! Another chapter. I have been wanting to do this chapter for a while and I really hope you all like it. I'm not sure if I like the ending, but I wanted to leave it off on a sort of cliffhanger note. Please read and review!_

_Disclaimer: Sometimes, I like to pretend I'm a lot of different things and that I can control Television channels like The Family Channel. But sadly, it's all pretend. :(_

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Casey made a noise of contentment as she tossed her carry-on bag onto the elegant chair by the door as she stepped into the room. The air was a little stifling, but it was European air and she breathed in deeply as she took in the large four poster bed in the middle of the room with the matching furniture and the large, picturesque window that over looked the blue sea.

"Stop grinning like that Space-Case. You look like someone just popped your cherry."

Casey turned around, rolling her eyes at her step-brother with his arms full of their luggage. She smacked him on the arm. "Don't knock this for me. You know how much I've always wanted to come here. Spain, Derek! I can't believe it! We're in Spain!"

She squealed, clapping her hands before doing the mad dash over to the window and stepping out onto the balcony. Derek shook his head, amused. It was hard not to be amused when Casey acted like this. It was a big reminder to him, how light and carefree she could actually be.

Derek stacked the suitcases up and kicked off his sandals before moving to follow her out onto the deck. Casey grinned when she saw him slide up alongside her, where she was currently leaning over the balcony.

"Thank you for bring me here Derek!" She beamed at him and he shook his head, focusing his eyes on the fountain across the street to stop the weird feelings that had been forming in his chest for the past few weeks. It was harder to squash them when he was looking at the petite brunette beside him, and he hadn't really figured out what to make of the feelings yet, so he was stuck with avoiding her gaze.

"You can thank my Mom, not me. I didn't even want to bring you." Derek snorted, shoulder bumping her with a small smile.

Casey rolled her eyes at him, but she was smiling too so her fake annoyed look didn't count. "Liar. You know you'd rather bring me then any of your hockey friends. They'd leave you alone for the first Spanish girl who wiggled her chest at them."

Derek chuckled. "How do you know it wouldn't be me leaving them?"

Casey raised an eyebrow. "Because for some reason even I can't figure out, you haven't been on a serious date with any girl since my birthday."

"So?"

"My birthday was four months ago Derek! Seriously! Hasn't your libido had enough of this abstinence yet?"

Derek just shrugged...okay, so maybe these unknown, bizarre feelings he's been having around Casey haven't been around for the past few weeks, rather than more along the lines of months.

"Does it even matter?" He asked her slightly exasperated. "Abby invited me to Spain with the big, Motherly notion of how we haven't spent nearly enough time together and I'm almost done University blah blah. Mother/Son quality time was very important at my critical stage or some other bogus shit." Casey snorted, shifting away from him slightly and he found he instantly missed the way her bare arm would brush against his. _What was happening to him? _"Anyways," He cleared his throat. "She said that because she still was working hard on her latest project or whatever, I could bring a friend along so I wouldn't be so bored and alone. She did specify that I had to bring a male friend, but since you guessed why I didn't want to do that...and since you don't really count as a girl...I figured there would be no harm with taking you."

He gave her a small smirk, trying to let the honesty shine through his eyes. The last thing anyone in this country wanted was a hostile Casey.

Casey simply pursued her lips and crossed her arms over her chest. Derek became momentarily distracted by this and his breath caught as he took her all in. Sun kissed skin from their time last week at the lake with Lizzie and Edwin, light brown hair pushed back by her sunglasses and her soft pink dress the was shaped almost as if it was designed to fit her and her alone. _I'm becoming an OOC. An Obsessive-Over-Casey freak. Great._

"Derek!" The small hand that was waved in front of his face brought him out of his stupor.

"What?" He asked annoyed, swatting her hand out of the way.

Casey huffed. "I was _trying _to talk to you, but you just got this glazed look in your eyes and began smirking in that stupid way of yours. Snap out of it!"

Derek ran a tired hand over his face. This was going to be a long two weeks.

* * *

"Alright, so my Mom will be back around seven for supper so you can just stay in your room or whatever..."

"Wait, wait..." Casey held up a hand, silencing him. "So you're not even planning on _telling_ your Mother that I'm here?" She asked, infuriated. "I'm going to have to spend all of my evenings alone in this room while you drink wine and eat pasta?"

Derek rolled his eyes, slipping an arm around her shoulders and pushing away the weird feeling that gripped his stomach at the feel of her hair licking his skin.

"Call down Klutizilla." She shot him a look and tried to wiggle out of his hold but he held on tight, moving them over to the couch in the corner and plopping down onto it. "Abby was very strict on the _Don't Bring Girls _rule...and I did. So I'm just going to test the waters a bit tonight at dinner, she where she stands and if it's okay, I'll mention that I brought you."

"What are you going to say when she asks why your _hockey buddy_," She emphasized the words and he rolled his eyes. "Isn't at the supper table?"

"I'll just tell her that he scored with a hot chick and is...otherwise...engaged in a different sort of activity."

"Der-ek!"

He burst out laughing, pulling her closer so she fell more onto him. Eventually she was laughing too, and Derek felt his heart start to beat faster.

"It's all going to work out Princess. You'll see. Now, how about we go prowl the streets and see what we can find?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her and she laughed, pushing on his chest to sit a little straighter. "You look like a parakeet that has recently suffered from a stroke when you do that. Stop it." She laughed some more before standing up and smoothing out her skirt.

"But I am up for some prowling." She instantly began to jump up and down with her hands clasped tightly under her chin. "Oh Derek! Can we please?" She begged. "I know you're not going to want to, but the history in this town is so rich and the places I want to go..." She flew over to where she had dumped her carry-on and grabbed a few brochures, all highlighted and sticky-noted with the correct and appropriate notes that any University professor would be ecstatic about.

"I was doing some research and-"

Now it was Derek's turn to raise a hand. "Enough with the babbling."

Casey opened her mouth to protest but Derek cut her off. "This is what we're going to do. I have a compromise. I will go to whatever castle, museum or anything else you have highlighted in those history book notes if, when I want to go out to a club or a bar, you come with me with no complaints. When I order us drinks, you drink yours without bitching. If you can agree to that, I think this is going to work out fabulous." He grinned at her and began mimicking her earlier actions by hopping up and down with his hands clasped.

"Oh please, Casey? Please!"

Casey just rolled her eyes, a small smile gracing her features as she grabbed his hand and yanked him out the bedroom door.

* * *

It was around one o'clock and Derek was currently enjoying a light lunch in a small café with his step-sister.

"I can't believe I got those shoes for half off! They're gorgeous!"

He rolled his eyes, picking up his beer and taking a swig. "It's truly a miracle, Case." He replied sarcastically before picking up his sandwich.

"I know right!" She answered, completely oblivious, as she looked at the shopping bags beside her on the booth's bench with a warm longing.

"So," Derek swallowed the bite he was chewing and reached for his bottle again. "I was thinking that since we've spent the better part of the morning at that museum and then that quick stop at the shoe boutique, we could maybe spend the rest of the afternoon doing what I want to do?" He smiled at her convincingly and tried to use the puppy-dog-eye look to the best of his ability. "Please?"

"Wow," She raised her eyebrows. "That's what? Twice in one day? Doesn't that word just burn your tongue as it works its way out?" Casey smiled at him though, to show she was teasing and he smiled back, relieved.

"I'll tell you what," she said, wrapping up some of the pasta on her plate with her fork. You pay for this meal and I'll do whatever it is you want."

Derek swallowed and hastily reached for his beer and began thinking of Marti picking her nose, Edwin playing _Rock Band_ in his underwear and his Dad and Nora making out in the kitchen. Anything but his step-sister in the tight pink dress leaning over the table to look at him, her own beer in her hands as she watched him with a twinkle in her eye.

Thank God his Mom made sure there were two rooms available for them in her condo.

* * *

Maybe the whole, "Let's go back to my Mom's and swim in the pool for a while." Idea...was a bad one.

Casey was currently lounging on one of those fancy bamboo chairs with a glass of iced tea beside her. Her sunglasses were pushed down over her eyes and her hair was tied up in a messy bun. The worst...or best part, depending on how you looked at it, was the fact that her body was barely covered by a dark purple bikini with little white hearts decorating the fabric.

Derek tried to pretend he was doing laps in the pool, but it was hard to focus when a girl wearing...was just a few feet...it was difficult.

He climbed out of the pool and made his way, slowly, over to the edge closest to her, hating the fact that he couldn't see her eyes. He took a deep breath before jumping cannonball style into the water, creating one of the biggest splashes.

"Der-ek!" She screeched, sitting up and whipping off her sunglasses. He didn't even have a chance to laugh at her expression before he was caught up with staring at her. Her chest was heaving and blue eyes were dark and little drops of water were still slowly rolling off her skin.

"Do you have to be so immature?" She continued, arms flailing and he took a deep breath and sunk a little lower in the water.

"Oh suck it up Case, I barely even splashed you."

She rolled her eyes. "That's not the point and you know it."

"Then what is the point?" He challenged, swimming over to the side by the latter and hoisting himself up.

"The...t-th-th-the point?" She stammered and Derek squinted at her, momentarily confused. He reached over for her iced tea and took a swig before handing it back to her, not noticing the way her eyes tore up and down his body as she took him in. Body soaking wet from the pool with his auburn hair hanging around his face. University hockey had done him good. His body definitely wasn't what it had been in high school.

Derek blinked; taking in the situation before a grin slowly appeared on his face.

"Der...Derek? Why are you grinning at me like that?" Casey questioned hesitantly, sitting up a little straighter. Before she could stammer any more words out, Derek had reached down and slipped an arm under her knees and one around her shoulders before he took off for the pool.

"Der-ek!" Casey shrieked before they both plummeted over the edge and into the water. By the time they surfaced, limbs slashing about and sputtering pool water, Derek was laughing while Casey was in a far worse mood than she was to begin with.

"You know I hate when you do that! I hated it last week at the lake and I still hate it now!"

Derek rolled his eyes, still chuckling as he dragged them over to the shallow end. When they both could stand on solid ground, Casey shoved him into the pool wall. Hard.

Derek swallowed loudly, glancing back at his Mom's house. It really would be awkward to explain this all to her now...so it would be better if she didn't come home early to "Greet her son." And by the way Casey was looking at him, all flushed and eyes dark...

"Um...Case? What'cha doing?"

Frankly, Casey didn't know. With the Spanish sun beating down on them, the jet-lag and the way Derek's wet skin felt against hers...it was all too much. And when her hands slid slowly down his shoulders, his arms and then back up, she took a timid step closer to him.

"Derek?" She whispered her breath warm on his lips. His eyes fluttered shut and before she could do anything to stop him, Derek had leaned forward the extra inch and closed the gap between them. Their lips pressed together slowly at first, before the passion started to build.

Casey's arms slipped around his neck and her fingers wove themselves into his wet hair, pulling his head closer to hers and deepening the kiss. His arms found their way around her waist, tugging her against him and slipping his tongue into her mouth where they battled and twirled together. The water felt like it was getting warmer and Derek groaned into her mouth as their wet skin slid against each others. His arm wound its way around her hip and he hoisted her higher. Their kisses became more hot and wet and Derek found the depletion of oxygen to be too much and he wrenched his lips from hers, breathing deeply.

Casey's eyes flew open, wide with panic. Her arms stayed wrapped around him though, and he took this as a good sign.

"Wow. Who knew you could kiss like that, Case?" He tried to smirk at her, but it dipped into a real smile and Casey pulled back slightly with a confused expression on her face.

"Why did we do that?"

Derek's smile faded off. "Why did we kiss?" He shifted and moved the arm underneath her leg that was holding her to him so she could fall back down onto her own feet. "Are you honestly asking me this? Case...I'm shocked this hasn't happened sooner. I mean you...and me. It just sort of makes sense, no?"

Casey took a few deep breaths, squeezing her eyes shut. "I am trying very hard not to freak out right now, Derek." She murmured and he felt himself grinning at the confused, innocent look on her face.

"And you're doing a fantastic job." He smiled helpfully at her and she shot him a look. "But you do an even better job at making out...with me. So maybe we should get back to that and you can finish you're freaking out later?"

From the look she gave him, Derek instantly dropped his arms from around her and shifted slightly away. "Or maybe not." He reached to scratch the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Derek." Casey took a deep breath. "We just...kissed. Kissed! We're step-siblings. Our parents share a child. What do we do?" Her eyes were wide and when she began hyperventilating Derek's arms shot out and pulled her into him.

"Relax Princess, I only want a hug."

Casey sighed, slipping her arms around him slowly as she tried to slow her breathing down. "What the hell are we going to do?" She moaned.

"Well..."

* * *

"Hey Mom." Derek grinned, reaching out to hug his Mom as she opened the dining room door to him.

"Derek! Oh you look so handsome and dignified." Abby pulled back and grinned up at him. She looked the same, a little older maybe and more smartly dressed but still the same crazy, hectic Mother that he remembered from his childhood.

"I'm so glad you came! This is going to be so great!"

Derek grinned. "It already has been great."

"So," Abby clapped her hands and gestured to the elaborate dinner table behind her. "Shall we?"

As they moved towards the food Abby mentioned something Derek wasn't particularly looking forward too. "So where's your friend...Justin?"

"Uh...Mom, I actually didn't bring Justin."

"Oh?" Abby questioned, helping herself to some salad.

"Yeah..." Derek cleared his throat. "I know you told me not to, but...I brought my girlfriend." Abby raised an eyebrow and Derek had a flashback to when he was six, sitting on the couch and admitting to his Mom how he had sneaked a twenty out of her purse.

"But she wasn't my girlfriend when I brought her." Derek stammered. "That was a new development."

"Well," Abby sighed, reaching for her wine glass. "Who is this girlfriend of yours?"

Derek took a deep breath. "Um...Casey?"

* * *

_And there you have it! The first kiss. I hope it satisfied all your Dasey cravings. Please review! I love hearing what you all think!_

_xoxoTaraxoxo_


	8. Puppy Pals

"Oh hell no."

"Come on, Casey."

"No. No way in hell am I allowing this, Derek!"

Derek sighed, running a tired hand over his face. Seriously, this girl was going to be the death of him.

"Casey," He started off again with a sigh. "I need to do this. I can't just...say no. Randy already left and I told him I would watch Henry...so I'm going to."

The small brown and white ball of fur still confided to the tight leash Derek had him on barked happily at Casey, wagging his tail.

Casey shot her boyfriend a glare, crossing her over her chest and raising her eyebrow.

"What kind of dog is it?" She asked stiffly.

Derek grinned. "I'm so glad you asked!" He rubbed his hands together. "Henry is a Papillon-"

Casey spoke up immediately. "Marie Antoinette owned one of those."

Derek rolled his eyes with sarcastic sadness. "And sadly, Henry was never held by some stuck-up French Queen."

"Der-ek! Marie Antoinette wasn't stuck-up! She did a lot for her country...she may have made... a few bad decisions along the way but..." Casey trailed off, biting her lip as her boyfriend gave her a pointed look.

"Anyways," He continued. "Randy will be back next week sometime and I told him I would...puppy-sit Henry until he gets back." Casey's mouth fell open to protest but Derek held up a hand. "I know you're not happy with this. Hell, even I'm not happy about this, but Randy can't pay to keep him at any kennel and no one else on the team but me, has a big enough apartment that Henry will be able to stay at. So...for the next little while...whenever you come and visit me, you'll get to cuddle with two boys!"

He tried to smile a genuine smile, but when Casey's face turned the colour of a tomato and she stomped her foot exactly how Marti had, back when she was six, he couldn't keep the laughter inside of him.

And when Henry flopped ungracefully down on the floor by his feet and began to nosily clean himself...well, Casey's face only got redder.

* * *

Derek woke the next morning with his arm, which was hanging off the bed, being contently licked by Henry.

And when he stepped out of bed and onto his rug he found a fresh puddle of dog pee sinking into the fabric.

"Fuck." This was going to be a long week.

* * *

Casey knocked on her boyfriend's apartment door, smiling kindly at his older neighbour, Mrs. Kenny as she walked over to the laundry room at the end of the hall.

"Nice to see you again, Miss. Case." She spoke; grasping the bottle of _Tide _detergent a little tighter as she moved around the groceries bags Casey had unceremoniously dropped in front of Derek's door.

"You too." Casey smiled warmly and quickly bent down to move some of the bags over to create more room. "Sorry about the mess."

Mrs. Kenny waved her off, a knowing grin on her face. "Don't worry Miss. Case, I know how it is. Boyfriends always end up giving their girlfriend the guilt trip until they head off to buy them food."

Casey shook her head, opening her mouth to explain but by then, Derek had the door ajar and Henry was barking happily behind him and she didn't really want to create a scene this early in the morning, so she waved quickly to the older woman and began dragging her purchases inside.

* * *

"So," Derek began, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck as he took in his girlfriend's hunched form as she shuffled through her baggage. "What do we have here?"

Casey needed no further invitation, and she immediately began opening bags and pulling out random items.

"You totally must have cleaned out Wal-Mart's pet section, huh?" Derek questioned, catching a bright green Frisbee before it could get into Henry's waiting clutches.

"No, I didn't Derek. How obnoxious do you think that would look?" Her boyfriend snorted and she swatted his leg with a bag of dog treats.

"Hey look, Henry! She bought you treats!" Derek bent down, grabbing the bag and waving it in front of the dog. "You want one? Oh yes you do! Yes, you do!" He cooed in that voice that always made Casey shiver and he began to open the bag.

"NO!" Casey flew upwards, from her position on the floor to snatch the bag out of his hands. "No! Do not give him any. These must be on my person at all times. If I think Henry is coming to close...then I can just toss one as far away from me as possible and he'll leave."

Derek blinked.

"Casey...babe...he'll just come back for more."

She shook her head. "No he won't. Of course he won't. This is a fool-proof plan Derek. It's going to work out famously."

Henry barked in agreement and began to make his way over to Casey who was still clutching the bag to her chest.

"Bad dog!" She screeched, hastily trying to open the bag. "No! Stay! Stay, sta-stop moving Henry!"

Derek rolled his eyes at his flustered girlfriend and grabbed Henry off the floor. "Calm down, you baby. He can't move when he's with me."

Casey scoffed, finally ripping the bag open and grasping a bacon treat tightly in her hand. "Sure. But there is_ no_ way you're coming near me either."

* * *

It was later in the evening, and after Derek had managed to feed Casey, and distract her for a good half hour with the new _Seventeen _magazines she was more content to sit on the couch and watch TV with him and Henry, than before.

Except when Henry jumped on the couch beside her and she immediately flinched and moved as far away from the happy dog as possible.

"Get him off the couch, Derek." She spoke sternly, grasping his arm and pulling it around her.

Derek shot her a bemused look. "Since when have you been this afraid of dogs?"

"I'm not afraid."

"Mmm..._sure._" Derek replied smirking as the little pooch began wagging his tail, peering at his sitter with such a knowing look that Derek couldn't help but grin at the thought of the outcome that was bound to happen.

"I'm _not_."

Derek just rolled his eyes and reached around the back of the couch to grab the one thing he knew Henry was looking for. As soon as the stuffed, yellow duck came into view Henry leaped off the couch, bark joyfully. Derek tossed it into the corner of the room and burst out laughing at the look on Casey's face when the little Papillon jumped on top of the duck and...well...went to town with it.

"Oh...my...God..." Casey murmured, unable to tear her eyes away from the sight before her.

Derek chuckled, tightening the arm around her waist. "Just remember that you were the one who wanted him off the couch."

With lightning reflexes even Derek didn't know Casey possessed; she had grabbed one of his signature NHL Oiler cushions and threw it at Henry. Fortunately for Henry, the pillow bounced off the wall and onto the floor beside him.

"Oh shit." Derek mumbled, watching as the dog tore its eyes towards his pillow and then back to the duck he was currently mounting.

"Don't do i-"

But Henry had clearly already decided and hopped off his stuffed duck and onto Derek's pillow.

"Damn it Casey!"

* * *

"So I picked up those _Pee Pads_ you asked for." Casey stated, tossing more Wal-Mart bags onto Derek's counter as she slipped off her shoes.

"Thank you!" He chorused; kissing her on the cheek as he hurriedly began opening bags and pulling out what he had asked her to pick up for him.

Casey slid onto one of the bar stools lined up along Derek's counter and peered at her boyfriend. "So why did you need these potty mats for anyways?"

"Apparently," Derek began, whistling for Henry to come and inspect the new purchases. "Randy doesn't exactly know the definition between 'house trained' and 'learning to be house trained'."

"Ouch." She winced, squinting her nose up.

"That's one of the words I've expressed these last few days." Derek said, laying the scented mat down by the front door.

"Way a second," Casey supposed sudden. "You actually cleaned up dog pee..._willingly_?"

* * *

"Henry! Casey is going to skin me alive!" Derek cried, picking up his dress shirt that Casey had bought him on their trip to Spain.

The dark blue cloth was barely still strung together and buttons where strewn across the hallway floor. The sleeves were torn and it looked like a majority of it was just...gone, meaning Henry had eaten quite a bit of the expensive shirt. And Derek couldn't help but turn his glare onto the small pup that had somehow managed to get into his laundry basket.

* * *

"And you said that Randy was coming tomorrow...right?" Casey hoped, flopping down on Derek's bed and peering at her boyfriend. Hockey practice had ended late that night and she watched appreciably as he pulled his gray shirt over his head.

"That's what he told the coach...so I'm holding him to it."

"Good." Casey breathed, pulling back the quilt and letting him slip in. Derek immediately drew her to him and Casey snuggled into his chest, wrapping an arm around his waist.

It was quiet for a few moments and they both breathed gently, enjoying being wrapped up in each other.

"How was practice?" Casey questioned, running her fingers in soft movements along his skin.

"Tired...long. Coach was in a bad move because both Randy, Adam and Samuel all went home for the break so he made us do double everything."

"Hmm..." Casey made a noise in agreement, and tucked her head under Derek's chin as he began to tug some of her curls tenderly.

"And then," He continued, "I got stuck in traffic on the way home...and forgot my phone at the rink so I had to quickly turn around and go back." He sighed, shifting his position a little so he could wrap his other arm around his girlfriend.

"At least you're home now." Casey answered, leaning up to kiss his jaw line.

"Yeah." He answered, his voice sounding thick. A few long moments dragged on before he cleared his throat. "Casey, you know that I-"

But when an excited little pup flew onto the bed and clambered on top of them both, licking their faces...well...Derek didn't exactly finish his train of thought.

* * *

"Hey, Venturi. Thanks again for watching Henry for me. When Ma calls and wants you home, you gotta go...and it was such a relief to know my little man was being looked after." Randy picked up the small dog, grinning at him affectionately.

Derek squinted at his teammate. "Uh huh."

Randy looked up, "He didn't cause you too much trouble did he?"

Derek shook his head mockingly. "Oh, not at _all_. I'll send you my bill."

And with those final words, he briskly closed the door in Randy and Henry's face.

* * *

_Review please!_

_xoxoTaraxoxo_


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